The Ashes and other cricket 2017/18.

[3Puttpete]

Paine, T. (C)

[3Puttpete]

Hardly a sackable offence. Give them a match off like everyone else gets and play on.

I've rethought this.

I now reckon it is a sackable offence. Not so much for the tampering but because they're playing for Australia.

They can do whatever they want for their T20 franchises where they're only in it for themselves but if they want to go out with the Australian coat of arms on the baggy green they should be held to a higher standard.

Only 1 in every 2+ million Australians get to wear it at a time. Win, lose or draw they need to represent my country properly. Outright, premeditated cheating is not the way to do it. They can close the door on the way out.

[AndyP]

Paine, T. (C)

He doesn't happen to stand next to the former captain while in the field, does he? Fancy that.

[TheNuclearOne]

We may as well stop all sport then. They shouldn’t have done it and are idiots for doing it so obviously. But every country has done it and continues to do it. Not to mention shit like this happens in all sports. The most embarrassing thing is that they’ve handed the saffas the high moral ground, which isn’t a place they’re accustomed to being.

Agreed. It is not the end of the world. Smith was very quiet last time someone was caught out against us and i figured even back then maybe we were in on the game.

Yes dish out whatever punishment is fair in line with the multitude of previous international indiscretions and move on. Embarrassing for sure but it is pretty apparent the practise is rife. Maybe with this incident it's time for the ruling body to take a fresh look at things and really ramp up future punishments to the point of possibly stamping it out.

I bet our press makes a far bigger deal out of it than other countries have.

[jimandr]

I was very disappointed that the umpires didn't pat down the players and search for foreign objects, WWE style, before play.

There has been some utterly over the top reaction on the net and airwaves today. I suspect most of it is a knee-jerk reaction to the disappointing news that we do what everyone else is alleged to do, rather than a genuine desire to punish everybody remotely related to the matter.

I suspect wiser heads will prevail in a few days, particularly after we lose the test, which appears certain. After all, the other captain was found guilty of the same offence, and he is still captain of his country.

In my mind, the lesson has already been learned through public humiliation, and ultra severe punishment is not required. There is no way anything like this will happen again for a long time. The players concerned have already lost their status as heroes we look up to, they may very well lose some endorsement income in future, and none of the team will get any second chances as far as behavioural issues are concerned.

I wonder what will happen with the annual contract negotiations of those deemed responsible? Surely there won't be too many upgrades.

[Ned]

Posted by a mate of mine on Social Media.

cricket.jpg

[Lagerlover]

Ryan Harris on David Warner's hand tape in the second test...

"The times I played with Davey he had all that strapping on his fingers. Unless there's something rough, sand or glass or something on that taping, that's not going to do anything to the ball."

[AndyP]

Renshaw back into the squad. Hoorah!

Will Handscombe come in for Smith, and Renshaw for Bancroft, even though the ICC didn't suspend Bancroft?

[wazamac]

I've heard the Poms are now coming out and saying the ashes weren't all that legal.

[Grumpy8]

moral high ground is getting very crowded by past cheaters

[TheNuclearOne]

Renshaw back into the squad. Hoorah!

Will Handscombe come in for Smith, and Renshaw for Bancroft, even though the ICC didn't suspend Bancroft?

Will Warner play? Löts of speculation and blame seems to be sliding his way now from people that may be in the loop. Do they know something is the question.

[AndyP]

If Warner was out, that would be good.

[TheNuclearOne]

If Warner was out, that would be good.

Given his recent history and the widespread talk of culture change he could well be the odd man out in a big big way. I would be surprised is he plays tho they may leave some of the really big decisions until after the last Test. They might not too given the public outrage and trials by media.

It will certainly be an intriguing few days.

[3Puttpete]

They’ve got till October till our next test. Time to let people forget

[Steve57]

Smith, Warner and Renshaw sent home immediately. No one else involved supposedly.
Renshaw, Burns and Maxwell on their way to SA.

[AndyP]

It's a shame that they didn't send over a replacement for Lehmann too.

[Lagerlover]

It's a shame that they didn't send over a replacement for Lehmann too.

No leadership.

[3oneday]

Smith, Warner and Renshaw sent home immediately. No one else involved supposedly.
Renshaw, Burns and Maxwell on their way to SA.

Renshaw will rack up some frequent flyers

Warner being fingered as the instigator by his teammates apparently, wonder if that is being done to save Smith.

[coalesce]

If the public are to believe the "this was the first time and no-one else was involved" line then they are going to need to substantiate how they came to that conclusion for credibility.

I predict the next Lehmann press conference is going to be spicy. Lots of questions still to be answered

[3Puttpete]

If the public are to believe the "this was the first time and no-one else was involved" line then they are going to need to substantiate how they came to that conclusion for credibility.

I predict the next Lehmann press conference is going to be spicy. Lots of questions still to be answered

How do they prove something didn't happen?

[coalesce]

How do they prove something didn't happen?

It isn't about proof. It is about showing that they've asked all the right questions and challenged the answers. CA has a vested interest in having this go away as quickly as possible, so is it in their interest to dig as deeply as a journo might?

[Steve57]

I cant believe so many ex Pommy test players have had to have a say.
And they “know that Lehmann must have been involved”.
I wonder how vocal they will be when one of their mob gets caught again.
They were pretty quiet when Ben Stokes clobbered that bloke before the Ashes!

[3Puttpete]

It isn't about proof. It is about showing that they've asked all the right questions and challenged the answers. CA has a vested interest in having this go away as quickly as possible, so is it in their interest to dig as deeply as a journo might?

CA: have you done it before?
Player: no.
CA: promise?
Player: yep.

What else can they do?

[coalesce]

CA: have you done it before?
Player: no.
CA: promise?
Player: yep.

What else can they do?

I get your point, but what I'm saying is that to restore public trust they need to do more than just say they've sorted it all out.

They could release transcripts or summaries of the conversations/investigations. Or put people up for press conferences, e.g. the people who did the investigation, or those involved but not "involved", i.e. Lehmann.

For instance, I'd like to know what Lehmann says he told Peter Handscomb to say to Bancroft once he was shown on the big screen. I'd like to know why Smith said leadership group if he just meant Warner?

Now it may be that CA have asked all these questions and got believable answers. If so, why not share them? Hopefully, they will do once they complete the investigation.

[3Puttpete]

I get your point, but what I'm saying is that to restore public trust they need to do more than just say they've sorted it all out.

They could release transcripts or summaries of the conversations/investigations. Or put people up for press conferences, e.g. the people who did the investigation, or those involved but not "involved", i.e. Lehmann.

For instance, I'd like to know what Lehmann says he told Peter Handscomb to say to Bancroft once he was shown on the big screen. I'd like to know why Smith said leadership group if he just meant Warner?

Now it may be that CA have asked all these questions and got believable answers. If so, why not share them? Hopefully, they will do once they complete the investigation.

It serves no purpose.

Do you believe Lehman and the players admitted to being serial offenders and CA lied to us about it?

You either believe the CA info/statement to be an accurate reflection of what they were told or you don't.

The extra information won't change your mind.